Don't Break my Heart
by Angel's blue eyed girl
Summary: A fic for the Valentine's A2A exchange on LJ for LoveEpicLove. Rated M as always for a reason...Prompt: Jealous! Elena and Moody Damon at a Valentine's Day Ball.


**Don't Break my Heart**

A fic by Jenna for the A2A Valentine Exchange in response to LoveEpic Love's prompt.

Rating: **M**

**Prompt:** **Jealous! Elena and Moody Damon.**

**A/N:** Whew, I made it! I got this posted on V-Day! I swear, it seemed my life was conspiring against me getting this posted on time. Anyhow, here it is. M, I hope I did it justice. It was a great prompt and I had a blast writing it.

Jen

**Prologue:**

Elena was beginning to think this was going to be the worst Valentine's Day ever. Funny, because it had actually started off alright. Stefan had appeared this morning with a card and a bouquet of beautiful, long stemmed red roses. It had been sweet and reminiscent of the 'old' Stefan and even if she didn't quite believe his sincerity, Elena had been …almost content to have caught a glimpse of the guy she fell in love with.

A little while after Stefan had left; Caroline had called to remind her about the annual Lockwood Valentine's Day Ball and had managed to wring a reluctant agreement from Elena that she and Stefan would attend. Elena was more than a little nervous. Stefan had professed he'd 'flipped his switch back to on', but there was still something off about him. Mingling with the residents of Mystic Falls so soon after deciding to come back from the dark side might not be the best option for him or them as a couple in general. There was an awkwardness between them that had never been there before—a wall of distrust and truthfully, Elena didn't know if they'd ever be able to recapture the magic they'd once shared. In her heart of hearts, she doubted it, but she'd made a promise to him; obligated herself to be there for him if he tried to fight Klaus' evil hold on him, he had and now she was caught in a web of her own design.

And yet, despite her conflicted emotions, the commitment she'd made to Stefan was one she didn't take lightly and Elena was determined to see it through, even if it killed her.

Of course, she was hoping that would only be a metaphor _this_ time!

To Elena's chagrin, Caroline being Caroline, had insisted she get Damon's acceptance to attend the event too; which was _not_ on the top of Elena's 'to-do' list.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?"

She was doing her best to avoid Damon lately. Things were just too complicated between them and the less she saw of him, the better.

Caroline let out an exasperated sigh. "I did and he said no."

"Well, there you have it. If he said no—"

Caroline's snort cut off the rest of Elena's words. "Oh, puh-lease…we both know, if anyone can get him to go, it's you."

"Why do you want Damon there so badly?" Elena had asked, irrational feelings of jealousy welling up inside her. "I thought you were with Tyler. Why the sudden need to have Damon present?"

There was a long pause before Caroline burst into laughter. "Um…not for what _you_ obviously think," she said, causing Elena to realize she'd already said far too much.

The line was silent for a moment before the blonde vampire let out a long sigh. "Look Elena, things have been mellow since Stefan came back home and I know you want to bask in that and all and I'm happy for you, I am, but we all know Klaus is still out there. Tyler has done his best to break the 'Sire-bond' and Stefan is playing nice again, but we both know either one of them could lose it if Klaus were to show up tonight. The only one of us who stands a chance to stop either of them is Damon. It's not that I actually want him there…it's more like we _need_ him there, so please—go see him and talk him into going. Okay?"

Elena had finally agreed. That was her *first* mistake. She should have never let Caroline talk her into taking on a mission that included forcing Damon Salvatore to do something he didn't want to do. It never ended well, and this was no exception. As a matter of fact, it had led her into a situation that had turned into one of the most aggravating, embarrassing and painful moments in recent memory.

She'd gone to the Salvatore Boarding house personally since Damon hadn't been answering his phone. Stefan wasn't there, but Elena knew he was at the Lockwood's helping Caroline with the decorations for tonight's event.

She'd called out his name as soon as she'd entered, but he hadn't answered, so she'd headed up the stairs to his room. Her second and biggest mistake of the day was opening his door without knocking.

"Damon, I need to—oh!"

Elena would never forget the myriad of swirling emotions she'd felt at seeing a half-naked Damon standing in his bedroom, making out with and an equally half naked Rebekah. It was more than a little disturbing and the image of him in nothing but a towel knotted low on his hips with his tongue halfway down that blonde bitch's throat would be forever (and painfully) burned upon her brain!

Well, maybe calling Rebekah a bitch was a little extreme, but in that instant, seeing the Original in Damon's arms—all the empathy Elena had once felt for the blonde vampire had fled, flew right out the window to be replaced with an almost burning need to smack the taste right out of her mouth! Or better yet, smack the taste of Damon's tongue right out of her mouth!

Instead of indulging that little fantasy though, Elena had flushed to the roots of her hair, floundered out an apology for obviously interrupting a post shower-sex moment and backed out of the room, slamming the door shut behind her. She'd remained frozen there for a moment, her back against Damon's door, as she tried in vain to control her wildly beating heart. But, when she heard Rebekah ask him "what she'd been doing there?" She bolted down the stairs and fled the Boarding House _without_ getting Damon's agreement to the Ball or hearing him make some kind of joke or snarky comment about her walking in on him half naked—again.

Damon had, of course, called her on her way home…

At that time, she'd gone from embarrassed to ridiculously enraged. It was blatantly apparent when she answered her phone with a "What?" instead of the usual the pleasantries of a 'hello'.

"Well, hello to you too, Elena," he'd purred and she could almost picture his cocky, lopsided smirk curling that sensual mouth of his.

It did not help her frame of mind—not in the slightest.

"What do you want Damon?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing," he'd said. "But you seem to be in a snit. Why is that, if you don't mind me asking? Considering I wasn't the one to barge into your room today, now was I?"

Elena had counted to ten before answering. It didn't help. "I was there to ask you to come to the Ball tonight."

He chuckled huskily. "Why Elena, I flattered. Is that an offer for a date?"

Elena almost screamed at him, but his next words kept her mute. "As tempting as your offer is—I already have a date for tonight's event." He'd said it flippantly, Elena's chest constricted.

A dull ache started in her heart at his coldness. "Oh…so you and…Rebekah?" was all she could manage to say. As soon as she'd said it, she'd been well aware how small and wounded she sounded, but she couldn't seem to stop herself.

Damon wasn't having it though. "No," he almost snarled into the phone. "You do _not_ get to play the victim here. You made your choice, now live with it." He paused and Elena had held her breath, hoping he'd say something that would make her feel less…terrible. But he didn't, if anything his next words only drove the knife a bit deeper.

"Look, Rebekah and I will be there, so tell Barbie to stop calling and texting me."

The line was silent for a moment and Elena had stared at her phone thinking he'd hung up on her when he spoke again.

"Oh and give my regards to Saint Stefan will you…I'm sure you two will make a stunning couple tonight."

And with that parting shot, the line clicked off with a near deafening ring of finality to it and Elena couldn't hold back the tears anymore. She pulled her car over and gave into the mother of all crying jags. Why she was so upset she simply couldn't face, but the fact was, she felt like her heart was being squeezed painfully in her chest and she could barely breathe.

Damon had moved on.

It hit her then. Like a sledgehammer upside the head. Oh God! Caroline was right—she had feelings for him. Real, honest to God feelings...She didn't see this ending good-either way, someone was going to end up with a broken heart.

She'd immediately burst into tears again. What had she done? She had (foolishly) committed herself to Stefan again, but over the summer, she'd also fallen for Damon! How had this happened? She still wasn't sure, but her recent epiphany had brought her to where she was now.

The worst Valentine's Day ever!

******D&E******

**Salvatore Boarding House:**

Damon stood in front of the mirror, fixing his tie when Rebekah sauntered out of his bathroom looking like a million dollars in the flaming red, off the shoulder, floor length dress, that hugged all her curves quite nicely. Her blonde hair was perfectly curled and parted to the side a-la-Veronica Lake style and to complete the outfit, she wore a pair of elbow length white gloves and a pearl choker with a tear drop lapis lazuli. She struck a pose in the doorway and gave him a come-hither smile. Damon's eyes traveled over her slowly and had to admit, she was gorgeous. Everything he could ask for in a woman and yet, he couldn't seem to get Elena's expression from earlier in the day out of his head. She'd looked so shocked and God-dare he think it? Hurt.

Rebekah crossed the room to stand between him and the mirror. "You're still worried about what she's thinking, aren't you?" she asked, taking over tying the pencil thin black tie that completed his suit.

Damon shrugged. "You have to admit, it wasn't exactly the perfect way for her to learn about me and you."

She finished knotting his tie and her hands went to his jaw, cupping it as she gazed into his beautiful blue eyes. "Why do you even care? She's with Stefan."

He smirked. "The same reason you still care that Stefan is with _her_. Love sucks."

Rebekah stared into his eyes for a moment. "But you see, Damon, that's the difference between you and me…" She ran her thumb along his lower lip. "When I gave myself to you… I'd already stopped caring what Stefan thought or did." She leaned up and brushed her mouth across his. "I did _not_ sleep with you to get Stefan jealous or to get him back. I slept with you because I was ready to move on." She patted his cheek and took a step back. "Can you honestly say the same?"

He frowned. He really didn't want to get into this conversation right now—if ever, actually, so he fell back on his usual sarcasm. "Can we wait to dissect me or my motivations? I'm not _nearly_ drunk enough for that kind of heart to heart!"

"Well, you'll have to deal with it eventually. After all, you will be seeing her tonight."

"Yeah, I know. Attached to the hip of my baby bro; the White Knight-turned villain-turned White Knight again. I get it, but hopefully by then I'll be far more intoxicated." He grabbed his jacket and slung it on. "Now, can we go, or should I lie down on the couch and tell you how I had a terrible childhood and that's why I'm the cold hearted bastard that I am?"

Rebekah looped her arm through his. "Would it help?"

Damon handed her the small white clutch that accessorized her outfit. "No."

"Then let's go." She smiled up at him as they made their way down the stairs. "But, if you feel the need to spill your guts later…I'm all ears."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Don't hold your breath," he muttered softly.

"Good thing I don't need to breathe then, isn't it?"

He chuckled huskily as he swept up the keys to his baby blue Camaro and they headed out the door.

Damon only wished he felt half as confident as he appeared…

******D&E******

Damon and Rebekah entered the Lockwood mansion arm in arm, looking absolutely stunning as a couple with Damon in a black on black suit and tie ensemble and Rebekah dressed in the dramatic red dress. The party was in full swing with Mayor Carol Lockwood chatting up the locals, reminding them of her efforts to keep Mystic Falls safe. Caroline was already on the dance floor with Tyler, though they both looked more than just a little miserable. Damon guessed it had something to do with Tyler almost killing her last week, but then that was him. He took those things kind of personally-Barbie was a little more forgiving. Damon noticed Bonnie was there; sans Jeremy, but still looking radiant in a black and gold gown that dragged the floor behind her as she walked. Their eyes met and he flashed his typical lop sided smile at her, but she turned her nose up at him and ignored him. Typical. barbie may be the forgiving type, but Judgy sure as hell wasn't!

An overly dressed waiter stopped beside him and offerd him and Rebekah some champagne. With a nod, he took two glasses off the silver tray, turned to hand one to his date, while bending down to whisper something in her ear when his gaze was caught and held by a figure in white entering the Ball.

She looked like a sexier version of Cinderella! Damon felt his undead heart leap and everything faded to meaningless static as his eyes drank in the vision that was Elena. She was utterly breathtaking in a white strapless sweetheart gown that accentuated her chest, showing off cleavage that Damon had only dreamed existed, before nipping down to hug her waist, drawing an appreciative eye to how tiny it was. The fully lined organza skirt flared out dramatically, giving her that 'Scarlet-O'Hara' look, one Damon found infinitely appealing because it reminded him of the girls of his youth and his somewhat humanity. She carried with her, a small beaded white clutch and around her neck was an old fashioned lace choker with a beaded broach nestled at the base of her throat. Her hair was swept up and at pinned away from her face at the sides, but left down in the back to flow free in soft waves, almost reaching her tiny waist. But, not in ringlets like Katherine's, he noticed; more along the lines of how he'd always imagined Elena's hair would look after a wild night of sex.

It was an instant turn on and he was hard as a rock in two seconds flat.

Rebekah scowled when she noticed where Damon's attention was focused. "I don't think we need to dissect your motivations," she said drolly, her accent clipped. "I think the drool on your shirt speaks for itself."

Damon shot her an annoyed glance, but his eyes were hopelessly drawn right back to Elena. He knew he was staring at her like a love-sick puppy, but he couldn't get over how stunning she looked, that is until Stefan appeared at her side and tucked her arm in his. The vision suddenly became unbearable and he tore his gaze away. He shot down the rest of his champagne and plastered on his trademark smirk as Elena and Stefan made their way over to him and Rebekah.

Damon saluted them with his champagne glass. "Well, don't you two look smashing together," he said, giving them his infamous smirk, sarcasm dripping off his words as his troubled blue eyes focused on where their arms were linked.

Stefan's smile was arrogant and just this side of cruel. "Yeah, we do, don't we?"

Damon's eyes narrowed for just an instant and it was obvious in the way his jaw tightened that Stefan's words had struck a nerve. 'Yeah, well sorry if I don't get my pom-poms out and cheer for the return to perfect happiness, okay?"

Stefan merely continued smiling that cold, dead smile. "Of course you wouldn't, especially when you want what I have."

"Stefan, don't!" Elena snapped.

Stefan looked like he wanted to say more, but backed down.

Damon chuckled softly. "Good boy. Does she pet you behind the ears when you listen like that?"

"Damon…" Elena started, a warning note in her voice, but Damon simply shook his head at her.

"Oh no, Elena, you don't get to put a collar on me too. Save that tone of voice for your faithful little boyfriend. It obviously works so well."

"Well, as interesting as all this male posturing is…" Rebekah cut in, "I'm parched. Damon would you be a dear and get me some champagne?"

"Of course, milady," he replied, bowing gracefully, and with flourish, giving a glimpse into the manners that were commonplace in his day and age.

Stefan was the first to speak after Damon left. "What I find interesting…" He mused, his green eyes catching and holding Rebekah's gaze, "is you and Damon. Since when did you decide you wanted my brother?"

Rebekah smirked. "Jealous?"

"Hardly," Stefan replied with a chuckle. "Call it mild curiosity."

"Why wouldn't I want Damon? Or better yet, who wouldn't want him?" Rebekah answered with a shrug, but her eyes remained fixed on Elena as the brunette began to squirm-this morning's events still fresh in her mind. "He's gorgeous. Has an amazing body." Elena's eyes darted around the room as if searching for an escape. "And…" Rebekah's voice lowered to a throaty purr and Elena glanced up and like a rabbit snared by the spell of a rattlesnake, her gaze was caught and held by Rebekah's. "He's an animal in bed," the blonde finished, watching in satisfaction as Elena blushed profusely.

"Stefan," Elena rasped out, her hand at her throat. "I'm really thirsty, too. Would you mind getting me something to drink?"

Damon came back just then carrying two glasses of champagne in one hand and a tumbler of scotch in the other. "Are you alright?" he asked, taking in Elena's appearance. "You look flushed."

"I'm fine," Elena squeaked, refusing to look him in the eye. "Just thirsty."

He nodded. "Well, it's a good thing I got you this then, isn't it?"

Elena gratefully took one of the flutes from his hand and took a long, deep swallow. Damon's eyes widened a bit. "Hey, slow down or we'll be carrying you out of here." He turned and handed the other to Rebekah.

"You mean _I'll_ be carrying her, don't you?" Stefan interjected. "Elena's not one of my leftovers, brother, though I can see you still like to pick over them."

It was such a callous thing to say that Elena visibly flinched and Damon's brows drew down into a fierce scowl.

Rebekah was the first to come to her own defense.

"Oh, get over yourself, Stefan. I may have been a tad jealous when I first arrived in Mystic Falls, but I find I'm no longer afflicted with that emotion—at least not where you're concerned." Her hand ran up and down Damon's forearm, her blood red nails bright against the black of his jacket as she held onto him possessively.

Damon's gaze went from Stefan to Rebekah and then to Elena. "Why do I get the feeling I missed something here?"

Rebekah tilted her head and smiled up at him. "Because you did, darling," she replied and Elena finished off her champagne in one gulp. "Your brother was curious about us and I told him I'm quite content with how things worked out."

Elena, on the other hand, was not _quite_ so content. The glass of champagne was going straight to her head and her eyes focused on where Rebekah's hand was, how she kept touching him, rubbing against him and slowly, but surely, everything else in the room faded, except that hand on *her* Damon.

"Yeah, I think we can all see that by the way you're groping him," she snipped, realizing too late how bitchy and…oh God! Jealous she sounded.

Three sets of eyes flew to her face, but Elena simply raised her chin. She was embarrassed, but she refused to run again. Thankfully, Caroline came to her rescue and called her over, allowing Elena to gracefully leave the situation without looking like she was escaping.

Stefan glared at Damon. "Care to tell me what that was about?"

Damon's eyes followed Elena as she headed across the marbled entryway. "Honestly, I have no idea…" he murmured softly.

Rebekah chuckled huskily, more than happy to taunt Stefan after his rudeness earlier. "Well, I do and it appears I'm not the only one who gets jealous when it comes to Damon."

That was obviously *not* something Stefan wanted to hear and his green eyes shot daggers at first Rebekah and then flew back to Damon. His fists clenched. "So, brother…" He growled, taking a step towards Damon, jaw tight and hard. "Just what exactly happened between you and Elena this summer? You know, when you both were _supposedly_ searching so hard to find me. Is it possible you found something else instead?"

Damon downed his own drink as the implications of what Rebekah had just said bounced around in his head. "Don't be a dick!" He griped, grabbing a flute of champagne off a passing waiter's tray. "You're the one attending the 'Ball' with the girl, not me," he said, downing the champagne too. "If there's a problem in paradise, maybe it's because she's finally come to her senses and realized when you're not being all 'broody-poor me-I'm-a-vampire-Stefan', that you're really nothing but a huge dick with a bad blood habit!"

"Enough," Rebekah cut in. "Stefan if you're going to be a boor all night…I fear we'll have to leave you to it." She batted her lashes at Damon. "Dance with me?"

Damon set his glass aside. "Gladly," he replied, taking her hand in his. "I think we're done here anyways, right brother?" He didn't wait for Stefan to reply, but instead led Rebekah out onto the dance floor.

Left behind, Stefan's eyes followed his brother for a moment before darting over to where Elena was huddled with Caroline and if he hadn't been so focused on her, he might have missed the look on her face when she spotted Damon dancing with Rebekah. It was there and gone so fast, that it was almost as if it had never existed. But Stefan *was* focused and that one look spoke volumes. Elena was not only jealous—she was hurting too. His eyes darkened and for a brief moment Stefan debated storming over to her and demanding an explanation, but just as quickly, the urge left him. He'd once said the heart wants what it wants and it was pretty damned obvious to him now, what, or whom, Elena's heart wanted.

It wasn't him anymore. That was for sure.

Broken hearted, Stefan made up his mind then and there and with one last glance at Elena, he straightened his shoulders, turned on his heel and (without looking back) walked out of the Lockwood mansion and into the dark night…

******D&E******

Across the room; Elena didn't even notice he left. Her eyes were glued to the couple moving together on the dance floor. She knew from experience that Damon was a great dancer, but she hated seeing him use that skill now as he twirled Rebekah around him, only to wrap his arm around her waist and yank her back so that they were flush, belly to belly and thigh to thigh. Seeing Rebekah's hand slide down his back and grope his ass snapped something inside her and she saw red—and it had nothing to do with the bitch's dress!

"Elena, are you even listening to me?" Caroline whined, breaking through her jealous stupor.

"No, Care, sorry, but I wasn't," she admitted a bit sheepishly. "I was…" Words failed her as Damon's hands settled on Rebekah's hips and they started to gyrate on the dance floor in an obscene way that reminded Elena of anything, *but* dancing.

Caroline glanced over shoulder to see what had Elena so spellbound. When her eyes landed on Damon and Rebekah, she sighed. "I knew it." She turned back around to face her friend. "Are you finally ready to admit you have feelings for him?"

"Yeah," Elena agreed softly. "I do. A lot of them actually, but I think I've totally screwed things up and now he's with_ her_." She said that as if the word *her* was something foul and distasteful.

"You're kidding, right?" Elena didn't respond and Caroline snorted. "Oh c'mon, there's nothing you could do that could make Damon stop loving you. I think you could actually drive something sharp and pointy in his chest and he'd still love you." She shrugged. "You just need to let him know how you feel and trust me—she'll become as old as yesterday's news!"

"You really think so?"

There was no denying the hope in Elena's eyes and Caroline responded with a beaming smile. "I know so. Now go do something about it. Go get your guy."

Elena couldn't help but raise a brow at her friend. "Why the sudden turn around? Last week you were telling me that Stefan needed me. Why are you suddenly 'Team Damon'?"

Caroline shrugged. "I not 'Team Damon' or 'Team Stefan'," she replied easily. "I'm 'Team Elena' and yeah, Stefan may need you, but I don't think you need Stefan anymore. I'm your friend Elena and I want you to be happy…" She paused and then added with a wink, "even if it is with an egotistical jerk that gives the word 'ass' a whole new meaning!"

Elena giggled, but gave Caroline a quick hug. "Thanks Care. You're a true friend."

"Of course I am. Now go get your vampire away from that skank before she gets more than just her claws into him!"

With a determined stride, Elena made her way through the other dancers until she came to stand directly behind Rebekah. She tapped the other woman on the shoulder and plastered on a falsely sweet smile. "Mind if I cut in?" she asked when the blonde vampire turned her head to look at her.

Rebekah looked furious, while Damon seemed amused, but Elena took the bull by the horns and cut in anyhow without waiting for the blonde to answer.

His eyes sparkled as he watched Rebekah storm off the dance floor before returning them to Elena. "Mind telling me what this is about?" He asked as he took her in his arms and started to twirl her around the floor.

"What?" Elena asked coyly.

He snorted. "You know what. This…you and me, you cutting in and gracing me with a dance..." He leaned down and stage whispered, "Aren't you worried St. Steffie will get all bent out of shape when he sees us dancing?"

Elena shrugged. "It's just a dance, Damon."

His brow shot up and his eyes were intense. "Is it, Elena?"

He was giving her the perfect opening, but now that the time was at hand, Elena's mouth felt as dry as the Sahara Desert. "I-I-" The words seemed stuck in her throat. How did she tell him that his arm around her felt perfect, while Stefan's now felt foreign and wrong?

Damon stopped dancing and let his arms drop from her waist. He was tired of her stomping on his heart on a daily basis. It was time to put an end to it. "Go find my brother, Elena. I'm tired of playing this game with you." He turned to leave; unmindful or uncaring at that point, that he was basically stranding her there in the middle of a dozen other couples on the floor.

Panicked, Elena's hand shot out to grab his arm. "Damon, wait!" She dragged him into an alcove just off the dance floor. "I'm sorry," she began, her heart racing.

"For what?"

Elena floundered. "For-for—I don't know! Everything, I guess."

He snorted rudely. "You don't know what you're apologizing for, yet you're apologizing anyhow. Why?"

"Why are you making this so hard on me, Damon?"

His eyes bulged. "Hard on _you_? Really Elena! Really, you think this is hard on you?" He scoffed, raking a hand through his hair as he rounded on her, his voice harsh. "You think you've suffered agonizing heartache in the last two minutes? Try dealing with it for a year and then talk to me about hard!"

Tears started welling in Elena's eyes. This was not how she intended this to go. She had to do something and fast. "I have feelings for you!" She blurted out.

For just a moment his eyes lit up, but then he sighed and his beautiful baby blues became hooded again. "I know," he said softly. "I've known for a while. I was just waiting for you to admit it."

Elena frowned. "Then why aren't you happy that I'm finally doing that?"

"Key word there is 'finally'. And why now? Is it because I'm moving on?" He shook his head. "Why is it every woman I've ever loved doesn't want me until I start to move on? Katherine hits on me every chance she gets now that I don't want her anymore and then there's you...I try to move on and now you have feelings…"

"Wait, Katherine does what? What are you talking about, Damon? I do have feelings for you. I always have…" Her eyes were filling with tears again.

"Never mind," he answered tiredly. "It doesn't matter anymore." He stood there for a second and Elena put her hand on his arm, but he shrugged her off until he noticed her watery eyes. His demeanor softened as he used his thumbs to wipe them away. "Elena, telling me you have feelings for me shouldn't make you cry."

"It's not that…"

"But it's not easy either," he said. "I thought after what we shared this summer-how close we got-I thought I could finally stop feeling guilty, but you ran right back to him, Elena. Even after everything. The way he treated you-The fact that I kissed you and you kissed me back. It didn't matter. None of it mattered. It was still Stefan for you and I've finally accepted it and now you're trying to drag me back in again."

He looked so sad that the tears Elena was so desperately trying to hold back came bursting forth with a small choked sob. "Damon, please…"

His jaw tightened at seeing her so distraught, but this time he did not wipe her tears away. She was breaking him and it was time to call it a day. "No. I can't do it anymore, Elena. Go find Stefan because it's obvious he can give you what I can't."

And with that he turned and left her standing there in that small alcove. She watched him go, tears clouding her vision, and in that exact moment, when he blended in with the other dancers and she could no longer see him, Elena could have sworn she actually heard the bitter sound of her heart breaking. She carefully made her way around the dancing couples, head down, doing her best to hide what she feared was going to be a horrible case of 'Raccoon-eyes' due to the unfortunate combination of mascara and tears.

With a heavy heart, she made her way to the upstairs bathroom.

******D&E******

Caroline watched her go and it didn't take a rocket scientist (which she wasn't) to figure out something had gone horribly wrong with Elena's plan to tell Damon how she felt. Her blue eyes searched the room for him, but didn't see him.

"Jerk," she muttered as she went off in search for a certain blue eyed vampire to at least scold (possibly stake) him for hurting her friend so badly.

She found him on the balcony, overlooking the Lockwood's back lawn. He had a drink in his hand (as usual) and looked about as miserable as Elena had earlier. It was _that _expression that kept Caroline from searching for something wooden and pointy.

"Where's your girlfriend?" she asked, coming up to stand next to him at the railing.

He'd heard her approaching, but had seriously hoped for once she'd do the smart thing and leave him the hell alone. He sighed out loud. He should have known…

"Obviously not here. What do you want, Barbie and make it quick because my patience is about yay high-" He held his thumb and index finger a mere centimeter apart. "And knowing you, you're bound to say something that'll make me want to rip your head off."

Caroline ignored his sarcasm and his cocky smirk and decided to be just as blunt as he was. "What did you say to Elena?"

"None of your business," he replied, taking a sip of his drink.

"It is my business when it makes her cry!" she shot back.

Damon's smirk faltered. "Leave it alone, Caroline."

She ignored the warning tone in his voice too. "No. She finally gets up the guts to walk away from Stefan and tell you what we all know you've been dying to hear from her and you what? Shoot her down? What kind of an ass are you, Damon?"

"Walk away from Stefan…?" He scoffed. "She_ came_ here with him! How is that walking away?"

"Only because she felt she owed it to him because she promised him she'd be there for him and I think we all know Elena well enough—at least I thought we did—" she added, "to know that she'll sacrifice herself to help someone she cares about." Caroline glared at him. "Hell, she's done it for you enough! Why would you think she wouldn't do it for Stefan too?"

Caroline's voice softened. "Look, we all know you love her, Damon and she's finally realizing she has feelings for you too. Why are you being such a jerk about this?" He remained silent, but he didn't offer a snide remark, so Caroline went on. "Give her a chance to tell you how she feels. If you decide you don't want to take the chance after that, then fine, but at least hear what she has to say."

Damon's entire body went taught as he realized he'd let his insecurities get the best of him tonight. "Where is she?" he asked, suddenly very tense and anxious to see Elena.

Caroline smirked. "She was heading upstairs. My guess would be the bathroom—it's where all us girls go to fix our make-up after a good cry."

He didn't bother to comment on her snarky remark. He needed to fix this with Elena and now. "Thanks."

And with that he was gone.

Caroline watched him go and sighed. Well, she'd done her good deed for the day—at least she hoped so. Being with Damon would never be easy for Elena. He was impulsive, snarky, drank way too much and was far too cocky for his own good, but he also loved Elena more fiercely than Caroline had ever seen anyone love another. If anyone could tame Damon Salvatore—it'd be Elena and if anyone could protect Elena—it'd be Damon Salvatore.

Feeling better, Caroline made her way downstairs to the party-ready to face her own issues with the one she loved…

******D&E******

He could hear her quiet sobs through the door and they made his undead heart ache. He knocked softly on the door. "Elena?" He called. "Let me in."

Elena had jumped at the sound of his voice on the other side of the bathroom door and did her best to stop her tears. "No," she answered. "Just go away, Damon."

"We need to talk," he said, trying again to get her to open the door.

"No. We don't. I think you said enough and I get it. I waited too long—too little, too late and all that. You don't need to tell me again, Damon. So just go away!"

"I'm not leaving until you let me in."

"Well, I'm not opening this door until you go away!" she shot back.

He leaned his head against the door and spoke to her through the piece of wood and molding separating them. "Then Carol's going to have a hell of a surprise later when she finds us here after the rest of her guests' have gone home. Because I'm not leaving until we talk."

Elena ran some water and quickly splashed it on her face before using a tissue to wipe under her eyes. She sighed. He'd do it too! "Fine," she said, capitulating if only to save herself from that embarrassing moment.

She opened the door and he was immediately inside the bathroom, taking up the small space with his presence and making Elena feel oh-so-vulnerable all over again. In response, her chin lifted. No one would ever accuse her of being a coward!

"Okay, so you're here. Now what do you want?"

Damon's lips tightened. "So, now you're going to be snarky?" He flashed a teasing grin to break the ice she'd surrounded herself with in the last twenty minutes. "Hey, that's my job."

She didn't crack and he heaved a sigh. "Elena, I'm sorry," he said sincerely.

"For what?" she replied, flippantly throwing his words right back at him.

He smirked. "Oh no, see now you're being sarcastic." He wagged his finger at her. "And that's _definitely_ my role in our little band of misfits."

Despite her will not to, her lips quirked. "Little band of misfits?"

"Well, aren't we?"

"Maybe, but I'd hope for a little more dignity," she replied, her heart thawing easily under his charm.

_No one_ was as charming as Damon when he turned it on full force.

He stepped closer to her, fully aware that her heart was starting to pound in her chest. "Forgive me?"

Elena shook her head. "There's nothing to forgive, Damon. You were right."

"No, I wasn't. I was wrong when I said it didn't matter because it does."

Elena licked lips that were suddenly dry and hot. "What matters?" she asked; her pace racing as she awaited his response.

"Us," he whispered, taking another step closer until they were practically sharing the same air. "This _thing_ between us..." He cupped her face in his hands. "It matters, Elena, and I should have never said it didn't."

Her hands went to his wrists, her eyes glued to his lips as she took in what he was saying. It was exactly what she'd wanted to hear from him earlier. But then again, he'd waited a year for her. What's a half hour?

But…there was one last thing to put to bed-well, besides her officially ending it with Stefan, which Elena knew she had to do immediately.

"Where's Rebekah?" She had to know. She wouldn't share him. She couldn't.

"Gone," he replied. His hands made their way into her hair and his head lowered until their lips were just a fraction apart. "To where—I don't know and I don't really care." He paused for a heartbeat. "Where's Stefan?"

"I don't know and I don't care," she responded and for once it was undeniably the utter truth. Nothing and no one mattered to her right then, but him and this conversation.

His answering chuckle wafted across her flesh and Elena's entire body tingled in response. It felt right. _This_ felt right. She was done fighting it and she took the last step by rising up on her tip toes, looping her arms around his neck and sealing her lips over his.

He instantly responded by pressing forward, slamming her a bit roughly into the wall. A floral picture beside Elena's head fell to the floor and shattered, yet neither cared.

Damon drove his hands into her hair, sending hairpins flying as he angled her head so he could control the kiss. His tongue swept across her lips, seeking entrance and Elena opened to him with a whimper of pure lust. Boldly, he moved in, his tongue the conquering hero as it seduced hers into joining him.

Elena was all too willing to be taken captive as she gripped his shoulders and held on for dear life as he dominated her mouth, making her his in ways she'd never dreamed possible with just a simple kiss!

"Oh God! Damon, yes!" she gasped when he kissed a fiery trail down the side of her neck, licking and nipping at the heated flesh he found there.

He purred softly when Elena's fingers found their way into his messy black hair and tugged, wanting him as close as she could get. She'd climb inside his skin and take up residence if she could.

Damon's answer was to grab her around the waist and prop her up on the bathroom counter behind them. His mouth swooped back down to attack her lips again and Elena gave in with a moan as she gripped his jacket in both hands and pushed it off his shoulders and down his arms, still kissing him heatedly while he lowered his arms and allowed the jacket to fall to the floor.

He brought his hands back to her face, his thumbs brushing the soft skin of her cheek as he lowered his head to kiss her again, nibbling at her full bottom lip while she returned his fervor by nipping his lip hard enough to draw blood. He growled low in his throat when she began to lap at it, tasting him in a vampire way that had his cock testing the durability of the zipper on his pants.

"I need to feel you…" He panted against her mouth, shoving the full skirts of her dress up her thighs to her waist.

"Yes!" she gasped in agreement, clinging to him as he pulled her panties aside and slipped his talented fingers in between the moist, wet folds of her sex.

"You're so wet for me," he groaned, sliding one slender finger inside her while his thumb pressed against her clit, rubbing the distended nub in small, tight circles.

Elena flung her head back and whimpered his name as she rocked her hips against his hand, desparate for release.

"Cum for me," he breathed raggedly into her ear, nipping at the soft lobe as he added another finger and then another inside her, stretching her, preparing her for the thick length of his cock.

As if following his command her inner walls fluttered and Elena's nails raked his scalp hard as she came undone under the expert tutelage of his hands and mouth.

More than a little desperate himself; Damon pumped his bulging erection against her thigh as she shattered in front of his eyes. He drew back to watch her face, captivated by the look of sheer bliss upon her features and oh-so proud that he'd put it there.

Slowly, Elena blinked open her heavy lidded eyes, a sensual smile of utter satisfaction curled the corners of her lips upwards as she took in Damon's intense gaze focused on her face.

"Mmhmm," she sighed. "That was…wow."

His eyes danced with mischief and hunger. "Wow, huh?" He smirked. "Sweetheart, you haven't seen anything yet."

His hand went to the button of his pants and flipped open the first one just as a knock sounded at the door.

"Hello? Is anyone in there?" It was Carol Lockwood.

Elena's eyes about popped from her head and she made a mad dash to get off the counter, but Damon held her fast, clapping a hand over her mouth to ensure her silence, lest they be discovered totally in flagrante.

"Uh, yeah, Carol. I am. Why?"

"Damon?"

"Yeah. Can I help you with something?"

"Is someone in there with you?"

Elena looked about to panic, but Damon remained cool as a cucumber. This wasn't his first time getting caught in a bathroom. "Carol!" he said, sounding shocked. "What a naughty mind you have. Can't a guy be in a bathroom without there be something scandalous happening?"

"You're not just any guy, Damon. And we both know you don't need to…" She floundered, unable to finish her sentence.

"Need to what? Take a piss?" Elena coughed behind his hand at his utter gall. He winked at her and continued on. "Who says?"

"But…?"

"Have you ever dated a vampire, Carol?"

"You know I haven't."

"Then you don't really know whether I have to or not, now do you?"

Only Damon's hand over her mouth kept Elena's soft chuckle quiet. The whole conversation was ridiculous. Damon's smirk widened until he was actually grinning as they waited for Carol's response. It was obvious he was rather enjoying himself now.

"No. I guess I don't," she finally admitted.

Elena rolled her eyes at how he'd managed to put Mrs. Lockwood on the defensive instead of the attack.

"That's right," he said, still grinning. "Now if you don't mind…I'm kinda busy in here and a little privacy would be appreciated."

Damon could hear Carol hesitate a moment longer as if wondering if she should believe his story, but apparently she finally decided she really didn't want to know if he was telling the truth or not and walked away, leaving Damon and Elena alone once again.

Once she was gone, he took his hand off Elena's mouth and she smacked his chest playfully.

"I can't believe you just told her you were in here peeing!"

He shrugged. "What? You'd rather have me tell her I was in here making you scream my name as I got you off?"

She scooted off the counter and began to straighten her clothing. "Uh...no. Definitely not." She shook out her skirts and headed for the door.

"Unh-uh, not so fast. Where do you think you're going?" he asked, grabbing her from behind and hauling her back into his body.

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Oh no. Damon, we're not continuing this here. We almost got caught!"

He spun her around to face him and his face suddenly became very serious as he searched her eyes, looking for the truth there for what he was about to ask. "But we are continuing this…right?"

If she backed out now, Damon didn't think his heart would recover.

Elena could see the vulnerability in his startling blue eyes. An emotion Damon rarely let out and pretty much only with her. "Yeah, we are, but not here."

He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. "I'll meet you at your house after the Ball is over."

She melted into his kiss for a moment before pulling back and nodding her acquiesce. For the first time tonight her heart felt right; like it wasn't broken anymore, just bruised, but mendable—definitely mendable.

"Okay," she breathed, butterflies already exploding in her tummy as it dawned on her that tonight she'd finally get to see for herself if Damon was as good as his hype.

Happy with her response, he nodded. "So, here's the plan. I'll leave first and when if the coast is clear, I'll text you and tell you it's safe to come out. Okay?"

She nodded again, still a bit shocked at how Damon and her had started out tonight with different dates and yet were ending the night together—maybe not officially, but it might as well be, because she knew she wasn't letting him anywhere near Rebekah again and the thought of even kissing Stefan, much less anything else was simply not an option.

He went to leave and she grabbed his arm, stopping him. "Damon."

He turned. "Yeah?"

She paused, wet her lips and then gave him an almost shy smile. "I'm glad the way things turned out tonight. I mean…with us. This started out the worst Valentine's ever and now…" She shrugged. "Well, now it isn't."

He cupped her cheek and brushed his thumb along her lower lip gently. "Happy Valentine's Day, Elena. This is only the first of many."

A slow smile spread across her face and her belly tingled at the promise in his words. "It is, is it?"

He paused, his hand on the door knob. "Elena, I'm, going to rock your world," he said cockily, before opening the door and slipping out.

Elena hopped up on the counter, got her phone out of her clutch and waited for him to give her the green light to make her own escape. But, as she sat there, his parting words replayed in her head, and a huge grin suffused her face as she realized he already had…

The first time he kissed her hand and said, "You must be Elena. I'm Damon." Her world had been officially rocked. She just hadn't known it yet.

**The End.**

******D&E******

Okay guys, hope you liked it. I know Damon was a bit harsh to Elena at times, but God, is it only me who is *so* tired of seeing her chase after Stefan when Damon so obviously loves her and would die for her?

Ugh! Okay, I won't rant, but click that little blue button and let me know what you think. Reviews are comfort food for the musie, people…


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